For the last day of the Austin City Limits music festival, fans filtered into Zilker Park to brave the heat for one more musical ride with a promising lineup to follow yesterday’s outstanding performances. If fans thought it couldn’t get any better than yesterday’s events, it was an understandable, though, wrong assumption. As festival attendees entered through the park’s beckoning gates, there was a bittersweet feeling with the end in mind but nevertheless, participants seized the day, embracing a spirit of camaraderie with fellow fans. A growing trend over the weekend was the trading of little sprout clips to adorn on hats, headbands, backpacks and anywhere else one could creatively decorate. By day three, these small accessories had spread among the masses and were widely worn, adding to the sensation of unity that was felt throughout the day’s crowds. The artists themselves took note of this sentiment and took it as an opportunity to hone in on this particular passion for the music, bringing emotional performances that still managed to thoroughly rock the park. It was a satisfying end to the weekend and a day that made us nostalgic to kick up dust one last time. 

julie

julie started off loud and proud with their screeching guitar chords and lead vocalist Alexandria Elizabeth’s siren-esque vocals. Despite the brightness of the sun, the band’s echoing electric guitar and bass lines created a dark atmosphere of intrigue that, combined with Elizabeth’s soft delivery of lyrics on numbers such as “feminine adornments,” continually drew in those curious about the jam. With songs that built-up in their pace and melody, julie leaned into this drama, starting out with a simple bass introduction before bursting into a total engrossment of grunge that penetrated the very ground some spectators were sitting on. It was a seductive set that instilled a kind of wonder in the audience in the midst of the pounding conglomeration of sound. 

Royal & the Serpent

Royal & the Serpent brought on a different kind of edge, one that was sweeter and included more harmonious flows in the songs she performed. It was still a full-on rock sesh, but with more romanticism involved thanks to Ryan Santiago’s high-pitched vocals and a featured cello that meshed with the electric guitar on more than one occasion. Santiago took the audience through a heartfelt setlist that was heightened by her inviting stage presence, which revealed that the music she was performing was not just written for her, but equally for them as well. She performed a mix of upbeat basslines and slower, more thoughtful ballads, including a dramatic performance of hit single “overwhelmed,” in addition to some new music for the sake of the party. 

Wet Leg

Wet Leg was a treat of sound and sight as they amplified the best of their guitar melodies whose reverberations gripped every listener’s attention. One could not look away if they wanted to – and they wouldn’t want to. In between lead vocalist Rhian Teasdale’s wetting her pink hair with the festival classic Liquid Death and her entrancing dance moves, it was a thrilling show to be a part of, even if just as a spectator. Performing lively hits such as “Catch These Fists,” “Wet Dream” and “Oh No,” the songs took on a heavier feel from the stage, producing an all-encompassing electric echo that took one’s breath away as they let themselves loose in the pulsating bass notes. Within their music, Wet Leg incorporates complicated electric guitar chords amidst a steady bass line and the reward of that effort was on full display today with a captivating essence as an effect of hearing just the opening chords of even just one of their songs. Not to mention, it just sounds awesome. As a performer, Teasdale is exceptionally fun to watch as she rocks around the stage and effortlessly sways to the anthemic elements of the melody, though she remains as tough ever with that cold stare. A particular moment when the band was at the peak of their performance between the harmony of their sound with Teasedale’s gliding strides appeared during “CPR,” when the vocalist hypnotically flipped her long pink hair back and forth to the concluding chords. It was a spellbinding culmination of music and movement and is a fitting image for the potential freedom found through the art of Wet Leg – the potential to feel metaphysically free even to the sound of a harsh electric guitar line.  

Gigi Perez

Gigi Perez delivered a heartfelt performance filled with her overpowering vocals and dark acoustic guitar. Her set was more on the intimate side, relying on the dramatics of her voice alone in comparison to other artists – which is all she needed. In a similar style to other artists in the park, she switched things up a little this weekend just for Austin. She introduced her younger sister, Bella Perez, to the crowd to join her in singing, “Sugar Water,” before covering one of her “favorite songs of all time,” “Instant Crush” by Daft Punk, which she put an acoustic spin on. Within her setlist, Perez also included a song that specifically takes place in Austin stating, “This song is about a girl from Austin. I’ve waited all year long to say that,” and with that she began the opening chords of “Normalcy,” which include the specific lyrics, “You say I should visit your place in Austin / You know that I’d love to / we shouldn’t be talking.”  It was a warm and enriching experience and Perez’s voice is  a captivating force that fills one with a slow burning fire that ceases to fade in its vigor. 

Passion Pit

Passion Pit divulged into a deliciously delicate set that included raw vocals combined with pumping electric beats. Occurring under the Titos Tent, one of the smaller venues in the park, it was a tender beginning with Michael Angelakos asking the audience if he could call his mother, who has Lewy Body Dementia, to perform for her. She did not answer and instead, a team member filmed the opening number and one of his most famous and recognizable songs, “Sleepyhead.” There were plenty of dedicated moments such as this one, with Angelakos accrediting his father as his best friend and honoring him for his care of Angelakos’ mother, as well as acknowledging his wife and fellow music mates. Music wise, the set started off slow before picking up to the point where the whole crowd was jumping to “Carried Away” while the strobe lights reflected off of the disco balls above. The energy was high, leading to Angelakos revealing that the audience made him want to tour all year long. It also made him want to do another song as he and the rest of the group returned to the stage to perform “Take a Walk” after the crowd’s incessant chants to play “one more song.” It was an overwhelming gratification to which Angelakos celebrated by planting a big kiss on his bandmate’s lips – not a bad way to take the moment in. 

Mk.gee

Mk.gee’s performance was strong with the strobe lights and mystery. His set took place in a never-ending pillar of fog that surrounded his dark silhouette. The audience never once laid eyes on his face, contributing to this air of mystique that was extra-electrified by the roar of his 80s guitar synth. It was a powerful exhibition as Mk.gee’s darkened figure stood tall on the accompanying screens of the stage, swaying to the electric chords he intensely ripped. Though seemingly simple in retrospect, Mk.gee’s straightforward production recipe – darkness, chaotic lights, smoke – heightened the sense of awe in his music with the added fascination of his raspy vocals, suggesting a certain kind of longing that left the audience dying to feel more with the end of each song.  

The Killers

 The Killers delivered a significant set to end the night with a bang. As the last performance of the night, as well as the total event of the Austin City Limits music festival, the band did their best to bring the event to an unforgettable end. Beginning with intrigue, their set started out with a simple country song playing out of the speakers to which the already high anticipation from the waiting crowd soared as the lights flickered on stage. Some confusion started to rattle throughout, before the band entered onto the scene and immediately jumped into the cult favorite “Mr. Brightside.” It was just how one would expect the ultra famous song to be performed, with the familiar thundering guitar sequence and Brandon Flowers’ prominent voice arresting every individual’s breath in the crowd. What brought this iconic song to even more life was Flowers’ physical engagement with the beat, pumping up and down and feeling every electric twang. It was a striking first impression of the show and energy to expect for the rest of the set. Following the close of this first meaningful number, Flowers confirmed the assumption that this was going to be a night as he declared, “Last week was the rehearsal. Tonight is the real rodeo.” 

With a backdrop of the glowing city lights of Austin on the American Express stage, The Killers showed their country side, including among their already widely known and celebrated setlist the country ballad,  “Runaway Horses.” Originally recorded with Phoebe Bridgers, Flowers explained that they wanted to sing this tonight to “bridge the gap between Vegas and Austin,” where the band was originally formed. It was a nice touch as Flowers also added that it was “written by a rock band but it has a nice country soul” and it was a nice quiet moment in between major rock sagas that took place throughout the rest of the set. Flower’s vocal delivery and his overall performance was on fire with a satisfying blend of sensitivity that makes the music so nostalgic in the first place, and boisterousness that is characteristic of hard rock. These songs mean so much to so many people and it was fulfilling to see Flowers and the rest of the band handle them with as much care for that factor as they did. Songs such as “Smile Like You Mean It, ”Jenny Was A Friend of Mine,”  “Somebody Told Me,” and “Bones” all had this precision of performance that appeared effortless in the moment, but was suggestive of a real conscientious that was put into the preparation of this set. It was exhilarating to watch and appreciative to feel as a fan.  

There seemed to be a profound respect for the audience and for the fact that every single individual in the vast crowd was genuinely there for their love of the Killers. The band gave back to the crowd by putting on an immaculate performance and filling it will several different instances of kinship between artist and fan with Flowers telling the audience, “this is your night” and leading the audience in multiple instances of  holding their hands high in the air to either lean them forward for a powerful moment or swing them back and forth to the melody of a beloved song. The Killers made the night about everyone, inviting all to bask in the music and enjoy themselves – it was truly a performance for the fans to be a part of. Their setlist concluded with an understandably emotional spectacle of “All These Things That I’ve Done.” The band evacuated the stage for a few minutes before granting fans’ desires for more as they went on to give on a three song encore that included a Pet Shop Boys’ cover, “You Were Always on My Mind.” It was a fantastic end to a fabulous show and fans could not have expected or wanted it to be any different. 

That concludes the remaining three-day musical episode of the annual Austin City Limits Music Festival. There was much to await with this weekend’s lineup and fans can now leave confirming that it was just as extraordinary as speculated. With Sunday specifically, there was something especially enchanting to see all of these fans and artists come together in the name of music and bask in some of the best of it in no better place than the live music capital of the world. We can’t wait for next year!

The Killers Setlist:

 1. Mr. Brightside
 2. Spaceman
3. Jenny Was a Friend of Mine
4. Smile Like You Mean It
5. This Is Your Life
6. Caution
7. Somebody Told Me
8. In the Car Outside
9. Bones
10. A Dustland Fairytale
11. Runaway Horses
12. Runaways
13. Read My Mind
14. All These Things That I’ve Done

Encore

15. You Were Always on My Mind Human
16. Human
17. When You Were Young

Featured Image Photo Credit: Owen Ela